Host of the Coach and Coordinator podcast Keith Grabowski and USA Football’s Senior Manager of Education and Training Andy Ryland get together once a week to discuss how coaches can implement pieces into practice that will directly reflect game-day performance.

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In the most recent installment of the “Deliberate Practice” series, Grabowski and Ryland discuss how your team can prepare for the 50-50 ball while avoiding injury. For Grabowski, it took learning from experience, and he doesn’t want the same for you and your team. “We had one of our starting receivers go up [for a] 50-50 ball against a scout team guy who wanted to make a play, be a hero,” begins Grabowski, the former NCAA Division III coach. “They get all twisted up and he comes down and strains his MCL and he’s out … [This was] not a good situation to be in, so we started giving right of way to the ball.”

In this situation, avoiding injury is paramount, but how do you recreate fighting for the ball between your defensive back and wide receiver? “The answer is, let’s not worry about the jump portion of this [as] your guy is going to be able to jump and do things,” starts Grabowski. “Let’s focus on the upper half … You can create some of the 50-50 ball feel: the fight for the ball, the fight for positioning, by putting them on their knees.”

Coaches can diversify how the drill is set up as well. “[You can] put them right next to each other, and you can really mess around with [where] they are in relationship to each other,” adds Grabowski. “And you’re going to put [the ball] right in between those guys and allow them to position with their hands or position with a shoulder.”

Ryland then chimes in, stating other advantages to the use of this specific drill. “When you’re in that kneeling position, especially if you have your legs really close together, your knees are touching, it actually feels like a pretty unstable base,” says the former Penn State linebacker. “You’re not going to mimic a guy with a 40-inch vertical jump, but it’s definitely not as stable as standing there on your feet. So, you kind of get some natural sway between the players’ bodies and they’re actually fighting for body control and balance. I really think that’s probably the best way to simulate that.” 

Competition is always a healthy piece to game-like drills as well, pitting teammates against one another. “I bet [your players] would have a good go at it and have a laugh fighting for the ball and [seeing] who wins and who loses,” says Ryland. “Talk about strong hands and attacking the football, going to get the football even in that mimicking space. I’m positive there is a ton of good receiver fundamentals inside of that little drill that’s also helping the guys get comfortable with going up, being a little unstable, having physical contact, and having to focus on the actual catch.”